Helicopter UH-1H 66-16871

Information on U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16871
The Army purchased this helicopter 0967
Total flight hours at this point: 00001945
Date: 01/08/1970
Incident number: 70010808.KIA
Unit: 114 AHC
South Vietnam
UTM grid coordinates: WS620588
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Defense Intelligence Agency Helicopter Loss database. Also: OPERA (Operations Report. )
Loss to Inventory

Crew Members:
G SP4 BARNES WILLIAM EDWARD KIA
CE SP5 KLEPPIN KENNETH THOMAS KIA
P WO1 BUTCHER GALE W JR KIA
AC CW2 BROWN STEVEN MERLE KIA
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998

The following is crew member information for this incident:

Name: CW2 Steven Merle Brown (posthumously promoted)
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 01/08/1970 while performing the duty of Aircraft Commander.
Age at death: 21.3
Date of Birth: 09/13/1948
Home City: New York, NY
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 68-21/68-37
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 14W-011
Short Summary: Killed slying a slick just days before end of his tour.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16871
SSN: 111401057 Service number: W3163477
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknown
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: aircraft commander
Started Tour: 02/04/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Kien Phong Province IV Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
Relgion: Methodist (Evangelical United Brethren)
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/25/1996

Name: WO1 Gale W. Butcher, Jr.
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 01/08/1970 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 20.9
Date of Birth: 02/14/1949
Home City: Hayward, CA
Service: AV branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 69-37
Service: AV branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 14W-011
Short Summary: Aircraft accident.
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16871
SSN: 562683777
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 100B = Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: unknown
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 12/29/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Location: Kien Phong Province IV Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Seventh Day Adventist
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: warrant officer
This record was last updated on 08/25/1996

Name: SP5 Kenneth Thomas Kleppin
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 01/08/1970 while performing the duty of Crew Chief.
Age at death: 20.1
Date of Birth: 11/23/1949
Home City: Milwaukee, WI
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 14W-013
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16871
SSN: 391487179
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N2F = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: crew chief
Started Tour: 02/14/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 01
Location: Kien Phong Province IV Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
single male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Relgion: Roman Catholic
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/25/1996

Name: SP4 William Edward Barnes
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 01/08/1970 while performing the duty of Gunner.
Age at death: 29.3
Date of Birth: 09/09/1940
Home City: Rocky Mount, NC
Service: regular component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: 114 AHC
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Service: U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 14W-011
Aircraft: UH-1H tail number 66-16871
SSN: 245567651
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 67N20 = UH-1 Helicopter Repairer
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: weapons
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: door gunner
Started Tour: 10/31/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - other aircrew
Length of service: 02
Location: Kien Phong Province IV Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Negro
Relgion: Baptist - other groups
The following information is secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: enlisted personnel
This record was last updated on 08/25/1996

The following is Goldbook information on US Army helicopter UH-1H tail number 66-16871
It is provided here as an ESTIMATE of the history of this helicopter and is not intended to be the final authority.
This helicopter was purchased by the US Army in 0967.
Please provide any additional information on this helicopter to the VHPA.

DATE  FLT HRS    UIC      UNIT          AREA          POST          COUNTRY
6709   0    0 W0Y6AA INTRANSIT        IN TRANSIT                  AVCOMCTR
6710   9    9 9221   BELL HCPTR       BAILMENT   FT WORTH         AVCOM    
6711   0    9 9221   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6712   0    9 9221   355 AVN CO       4TH ARMY   FORT SILL        4TH ARMY
6801   1   10 W0MCAA RED RIVER AD     4TH ARMY   RED RIVER AD     AMC          
6802 102  112 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6803 129  241 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6804  85  326 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6805 102  428 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6806  85  513 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6807  71  584 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6808 100  684 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6809  86  770 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6810  68  838 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6811  54  892 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6812  53  945 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6901  46  991 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6902  31 1022 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6903  50 1072 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6904  67 1139 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6905  83 1222 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6906  80 1302 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6907 117 1419 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6908 157 1576 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6909 116 1692 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6910 102 1794 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6911  91 1885 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN     
6912  60 1945 WAX7AA 114 ASLT HEL CO  VIETNAM                     RVN

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